Our Why
Middle Tech was created to advance the business ecosystem in this region by providing news, entertainment, and educational content related to startups, entrepreneurship, and technology.
We believe media is essential when cultivating a successful startup ecosystem, and founders are the cornerstone of that ecosystem.
Middle Tech Team
Co-Founder & Co-Host
Co-Host
Evan Knowles
Evan Knowles is a Kentucky native with a passion for technology and startups. After dropping out of college, he helped build Fooji into one of the nation’s most innovative advertising technologies working with the world’s largest brands. Evan is currently building his own software company and is also a founding partner of real estate investment firm Defiant Capital.
Logan Jones
Logan Jones is from Ashland, Kentucky and lives in Lexington, Kentucky where he works as an Account Executive at Leadrilla (a past guest of ours). Previously, Logan spent 3 years working at Awesome Inc to help grow the Lexington startup ecosystem, while also growing his own company, KY Elevated Drone Imaging. Logan is passionate about entrepreneurship, Kentucky, and building relationships.
Nate Antetomaso
Nate Antetomaso currently lives in Chicago and is the Senior Manager of Media & Partnerships at IZEA, an influencer marketing company. As a tech entrepreneur of data-driven travel company, AwayGame, and previous Marketing Manager at Fooji, Nate brings a drive for innovation and a passion for efficiency to everything he does. Through projects large and small, Nate's goal is always to deliver amazing end user experiences. Learn more at nantetomaso.com.
Tj Barnett
Tj Barnett currently works in social and content for the NBA. Tj was raised in Louisville and went on to graduate from UK in 2019 with a Bachelors in Marketing. During his time in school, Tj helped build the marketing strategy at Fooji as a marketing manager, wrote and promoted SB Nation’s A Sea Of Blue, and ran digital marketing for Atlas Trust Real Estate. Tj is passionate about growing Kentucky and its businesses. He plans to take Middle Tech’s social media game to the next level.
Tom Monarch
Tom Monarch was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. He has a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Louisville and will graduate in May of 2021 with his law degree from University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law. Tom is driven to help grow Kentucky’s entrepreneur ecosystem through his writing, problem-solving, and analytical skills gained throughout his education.
Weston Lockhart
Weston Lockhart is from Lexington, KY and works as an Investment Sales & Leasing Advisor @ SVN Stone Commercial Real Estate. Being in a relationship-driven industry, he views himself as another team member for Entrepreneurs, Emerging Brands, and Developers in order to achieve their goals and optimize their respective businesses. Weston is passionate about the growth of Kentucky, Investing (in assets and people), and finely-crafted bourbon.
Nico Ferreyra
Nico Ferreyra is originally from Cordoba, Argentina and currently lives in Louisville, KY. Nico loves building teams and startups, and is the co-founder of the productivity startup Tomo, and the Executive Director of Technology of Droplet Water Project, a clean water non-profit. Nico is passionate about startups, technology, and venture capital, and is a part-time deal scout for Bloom Venture Partners.
Justin Hall
Justin Hall was running a coding academy for kids in Lexington, Kentucky, when the owner of Bit Source, a software company deep in the state’s struggling coal region, asked him if he could teach coal miners to code too. Hall agreed and came up with a business plan in which Bit Source would hire former miners as “apprentices”—paying them $15 per hour (thanks to federal funds available to jump-start the region) to learn a curriculum he developed involving HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In March 2015, Hall selected 10 former miners—chosen from more than 900 applicants—who quickly became fluent not just in coding basics but also in programs including Drupal, Xamarin, and Unity. Since then, they have completed dozens of projects, including repeat business from a Fortune 500 company.
Jacqueline Benson
Jacqueline is a born-and-raised Lexingtonian with a love for anything creative. She's a graphic designer with a Bachelor's in Graphic Communications Management and over 10 years of experience. She's taken her long love of crafts and creating and made it not only her daily passion, but her career as well as Lead Graphic Designer at Awesome Inc and Owner of Lexington Design Co. Jacqueline married her high school sweetheart in 2011 and they live in Lexington, KY with their two pups, Bella and Ruby.
Maggie Leigh Collins
Maggie Leigh graduated from the University of Kentucky in May of 2020. She is an aspiring rock musician who is currently training as a vocalist. Maggie is an avid dancer and podcaster. She writes records and produces her own music and her own podcast titled “Raised on Radio: A rock and roll podcast”. Maggie will be focusing on the production side of things for Middle Tech!
Emily McCarthy
Emily was born and raised in Loveland, Ohio, just north of Cincinnati. She graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio in May of 2020 where she studied Visual Communication and is now working full time as a marketing coordinator. She moved to Lexington at the beginning of February and is looking forward to learning more about the area, the people, and businesses that make up the community.
Dan Beldy
Dan Beldy is a trusted advisor to Middle Tech. He is a partner at Canapi Ventures, Airwing Ventures and a co-founding partner of Powerplant Ventures. Dan has spent the last 20+ years in technology and finance as a venture capitalist. Previously, Dan was a managing director at Steamboat Ventures, the venture capital affiliate of The Walt Disney Company, where he led the U.S. venture team. Prior to that he was a partner at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, one of the first venture firms to focus exclusively on software investments.
Dan has been involved with several successful companies as an investor and advisor including GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO); Edgecast, acquired by Verizon (NYSE: VZ); Playdom, acquired by Disney (NYSE: DIS); FreeWheel, acquired by Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA); Greystripe, acquired by Conversant (NASDAQ: VCLK); Employease, acquired by ADP (NASDAQ: ADP); Starmine, acquired by Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI); Method, acquired by Ecover; and upLynk, acquired by Verizon (NYSE: VZ).
Earlier in his career Dan was an F/A-18 fighter pilot and instructor in the U.S. Navy, and served with the Brazilian Navy during an exchange program. Dan has a B.S. in Computer Science with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from The Wharton School. He enjoys family and friends, golf, triathlons and is an avid Springsteen fan. Dan has completed 290+ carrier landings, delivered 25,000+ copies of the NY Daily News, and has completed a triathlon at Alcatraz and a marathon in Antarctica.
Dan has been involved with several successful companies as an investor and advisor including GoPro (NASDAQ: GPRO); Edgecast, acquired by Verizon (NYSE: VZ); Playdom, acquired by Disney (NYSE: DIS); FreeWheel, acquired by Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA); Greystripe, acquired by Conversant (NASDAQ: VCLK); Employease, acquired by ADP (NASDAQ: ADP); Starmine, acquired by Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI); Method, acquired by Ecover; and upLynk, acquired by Verizon (NYSE: VZ).
Earlier in his career Dan was an F/A-18 fighter pilot and instructor in the U.S. Navy, and served with the Brazilian Navy during an exchange program. Dan has a B.S. in Computer Science with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy and an MBA from The Wharton School. He enjoys family and friends, golf, triathlons and is an avid Springsteen fan. Dan has completed 290+ carrier landings, delivered 25,000+ copies of the NY Daily News, and has completed a triathlon at Alcatraz and a marathon in Antarctica.
Co-Founder
BizDev Associate
If we can help by providing introductions, assisting in job searches, giving feedback, or anything else, do not hesitate to reach out.